If you've driven past the corner of Broadway and Pleasant Valley in the last week, you may have noticed activity there. Here's the latest update from TRC, Inc., the developers of "Shops at the Ridge," on the demolition of the old, asbestos-contaminated Chase Bank building at the corner. Demolition had been stalled by the discovery that the cables holding up the roof deck were covered with asbestos. The City has now issued a demolition permit to take the building down, and the plans have been approved by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which

The City of Oakland's employee strike delayed issuance of the demolition permit. However, we've now been informed that TRC plans to restart demolition around December 20th. Their plan is still to have demolition completed by the end of February 2018.

This project proposes to replace the current Rockridge Shopping Center with an expanded center, including a larger (65,000 sq.ft.) Safeway store, more commercial retail space, and some professional offices, but no residential. Total usable space will increase by about 120,000 sq.ft. Although the March Rockridge News will have gone to press before the February Land Use Committee meeting, a lot has been happening with this project this month.